- Jonathan Plummer was constantly thirsty, and doctors thought he had diabetes.
- A routine eye test found an abnormality and he was diagnosed with a germ cell tumor.
A 20-year-old man who felt the need to drink 10 liters of water a day was diagnosed with a brain tumor after a routine eye test revealed it was growing on a gland that regulates the water balance in the body.
Jonathan Plummer, a postman from the UK, who is now 41, had been drinking up to 10 liters of water a day for two years, because his brain was telling him he was thirsty.
"I felt a constant thirst that I couldn't quench and got to the point where I was passing as much water as I was drinking. It was an awful time, which caused me to miss days of work at a time and I experienced extreme fatigue," he told the UK-based charity Brain Tumour Research.
Doctors thought he could be diabetic, because excessive thirst is a symptom of the disease, and he was sent for kidney tests, which were inconclusive.
He was eventually diagnosed with a germ cell tumor at the age of 20 after an abnormality was found during a routine eye test in 2002, and he was referred for an MRI scan, which showed a huge growth on his pituitary gland.
"It almost feels like it was found by fluke," Plummer said.
Germ cell tumors in the brain can cause headaches and nausea
Germ cell tumors make up 1% of all brain tumors in Northern America and Europe, according to Brain Tumour Research. GCTs on the brain are most commonly diagnosed in people aged between 11 and 30, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The National Cancer Institute estimates that 24,810 Americans will develop some form of cancer of the brain or nervous system in 2023, and the likelihood of surviving five years past diagnosis is 33.8%.
GCTs develop from abnormal germ cells, a type of stem cell in embryos that develop into sperm or eggs as the child grows and enters puberty. Some of these cells can get left behind in other parts of the body as the embryo grows, such as the chest, abdomen, and central nervous system. In Plummer's case, the GCT was growing on his pituitary gland.
The symptoms of a GCT in the brain can include headaches, nausea, poor coordination and balance, memory issues, and seizures.
Plummer took steroids and had 30 rounds of radiotherapy
Usually, surgery is the primary treatment for GCTs, but in Plummer's case an operation was not an option because of the location of the tumor.
"An operation wasn't an option so I was placed on steroids to help with the pressure of the tumor in my brain," Plummer said.
He also went through 30 rounds of radiotherapy and will have to take medication for the rest of his life. The steroids caused Plummer to gain 56 pounds during the treatment, and its intensity meant he had to stop playing rugby and cricket because they were contact sports.
He did, however, take up running and swimming, and he has since regained control of his weight. In June 2023, Plummer took part in a charity skydive to raise money and awareness for Brain Tumour Research.
Mel Tiley, community development manager at the charity, said that Plummer's story "reminds us that brain tumors are indiscriminate; they can affect anyone at any age."